sugerir

Sugerir is a Spanish verb meaning to propose or recommend something, to hint at a possibility, or to indicate a course of action. It is commonly used to present ideas, options, or advice, often in clauses introduced by que where the subjunctive mood may appear.

Etymology and classification: Sugerir comes from Latin suggerere, related to bringing an idea to mind or proposing something. In contemporary Spanish, it is an irregular -ir verb with a stem change in several forms.

Conjugation overview: In the present indicative, the forms are yo sugiero, tú sugieres, él sugiere, nosotros sugerimos, vosotros sugerís, ellos sugieren. In the preterite, you have yo sugerí, tú sugeriste, él sugirió, nosotros sugerimos, vosotros sugeristeis, ellos sugirieron, with a shift to -sir- for the third person forms. The present subjunctive is yo sugiera, tú sugieras, él sugiera, nosotros sugiramos, vosotros sugiráis, ellos sugieran. The imperfect subjunctive can be sugiriera or sugiriese, with corresponding forms for each person. The imperative forms include tú sugiere, usted sugiera, nosotros sugiramos, vosotros sugerid, ustedes sugieran. The present participle is sugiriendo and the past participle is sugerido. Note that, in many present forms, the root experiences a vowel change (e to i) and variations occur in other tenses.

Usage notes: Sugerir is followed by clauses with que and typically requires the subjunctive in the subordinate clause when expressing a recommendation, suggestion, or expectation: “Te sugiero que hables con ella.” It can also be used transitively with objects or intransitively to imply a hint or insinuation: “Eso me sugiere una posibilidad.” Related verbs include proponer, recomendar, and insinuar.

See also: sugerencia, sugerente, proponer, recomendar.